Sedum plant named ‘Twinkling Star’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Sedum  plant named ‘Twinkling Star’, characterized by its upright and compact plant habit; freely basally branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit; attractive yellow green-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Hylotelephium spectabile.

Cultivar denomination: ‘TWINKLING STAR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sedumplant, botanically known as Hylotelephium spectabile and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Twinkling Star’.

The new Sedum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new strong and healthy Sedum cultivarswith numerous attractive flowers.

The new Sedum plant originated from a cross-pollination during thesummer of 2004 in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands, of Hylotelephiumspectabile ‘Purple Emperor’, not patented, as the female, or seed,parent with Sedum telephium ‘Sunkissed’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.No. 16,927, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Sedum was discoveredand selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands during the summer of 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Sedum plant by vegetative cuttings in acontrolled environment in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands since the summerof 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Sedum plant arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Sedum have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Twinkling Star’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Twinkling Star’ as a new and distinctcultivar of Sedum:

-   -   1. Upright and compact plant habit.    -   2. Freely basally branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit.    -   3. Attractive yellow green-colored flower.    -   4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Sedum differ from plants of the female parent, ‘PurpleEmperor’, primarily in flower color as plants of ‘Purple Emperor’ havepink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Sedum differ from plants of the male parent,‘Sunkissed’ primarily in leaf color as plants of ‘Sunkissed’ have greento greyed green-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Sedum can be compared to plants of Sedum telephium‘Bronco’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,085. Plants of the newSedum and ‘Bronco’ differ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Sedum are more compact than plants of        ‘Bronco’.    -   2. Plants of the new Sedum have darker yellow green-colored        flowers than plants of ‘Bronco’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Sedum plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Sedum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Twinkling Star’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view oftypical inflorescences of ‘Twinkling Star’. The photograph at the bottomof the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical leaf of ‘TwinklingStar’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands, undercommercial practice during the autumn in an outdoor nursery with daytemperatures ranging from 12° C. to 25° C. and night temperaturesranging from 2° C. to 14° C. Plants used in the photographs anddescription were two years old. In the following description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Sedum telephium ‘Twinkling Star’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Hylotelephium spectabile ‘Purple            Emperor’, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Hylotelephium spectabile            ‘Sunkissed’ disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,927.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 15 to 20 days at 18° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About two months at            16° C. to 22° C.        -   Root description.—Moderately thick and moderately fleshy;            white to medium brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; moderately            dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright and compact            plant habit; broad inverted triangle; moderately vigorous            growth habit; freely basally branching habit with about five            basal branches developing per plant; dense and bushy growth            habit.        -   Plant height.—About 14.8 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 19.6 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 6.4 cm. Diameter: About            5 mm. Internode length: About 3.7 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 6.2 cm.        -   Width.—About 4.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Bluntly acute to rounded.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Margin.—Irregularly and shallowly dentate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;            succulent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 191A to 191B.            Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Between N137C and            147A; venation, close to 143A. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to 191A; ventation, close to 144A to 144B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type/habit.—Small rotate flowers arranged in terminal            compound cymes; flowers face upright to slightly outward;            freely flowering habit with about 2,000 flower buds and            flowers developing per plant.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering from August            to late October in The Netherlands.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about two weeks on            the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Shape: Ovate. Color: Close to 145C to 145D; towards the            apex, close to 181C to 181D; towards the base, close to            148C.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 6.2 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 6.9 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 6 mm.        -   Flower depth.—About 5 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl; petals fused at the base. Length: About 5 mm. Lobe            width: About 2 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            149D; towards the apex, close to 147B. Fully opened, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 149D; towards the apex, close            to 147B.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl, fused at the base. Length: About 2 mm. Width: About            1 mm. Shape: Narrowly ovate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 148C. Fully            opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 148C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.9 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Angle: Erect to about 30° from vertical. Strength:            Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close            to 145B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 0.7 mm. Angle:            Erect to about 40° from vertical. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 148C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            ten. Filament length: About 2.5 mm. Filament color: Close to            3D. Anther shape: Broadly oblong, flattened. Anther length:            About 0.3 mm. Anther color: Close to 33A. Pollen amount:            Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 12B to 12C. Pistils: Quantity            per flower: Five. Pistil length: About 4 mm. Stigma shape:            Pointed. Stigma color: Close to 1C. Style length: About            3 mm. Style color: Close to 1C. Ovary color: Close to 1C.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Sedum have not been noted    to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Sedum.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Sedum have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate rain and wind. Plants of    the new Sedum tolerate high temperatures of about 35° C. and are    winter hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 5.

1. A new and distinct Sedum plant named ‘Twinkling Star’ as illustratedand described.